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Tom's Guide
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
My favorite Bluetooth speaker just crashed to its lowest ever price — the EarFun UBoom L is just $49 right now
When I'm using one of the best Bluetooth speakers, nothing makes me happier than feeling the bass in my jaw or in my temples. I want earth-shattering bass that makes me concerned for the walls in my rental. I want it to be so rich that I feel like it's calling me poor. I want it to feel deeper than the pseudo-feelings I had as a Tumblr emo girlie. My poetic musings aside... I love testing wireless speakers and putting them through their paces to determine whether they're good value for money. I have a couple speakers at home but the one I (and my partner) use the most is the EarFun UBoom L — and right now, it's down to its lowest ever price as it's discounted by 38% at Amazon U.S. and 13% at Amazon U.K. The EarFun UBoom L offers big sound on a budget. This portable speaker produces powerful bass, clear vocals and well-balanced sound across a range of genres. With a dedicated outdoor mode and an IP67 resistance rating, the speaker can soundtrack pool parties and hikes, it's got great battery life, and the customizable EQ via the user-friendly companion app works really well. Even at its retail price of $79 / £79, the UBoom L easily warrants a recommendation. It provides big sound on a budget, and it's highly portable so you can take it anywhere you like. Adding to that is the UBoom L's IP67 rating, which means it's waterproof down to 3 feet and fully dustproof. Trust me, I use this speaker in the shower nearly everyday, and I've even submerged it in a sink full of water just to show off to my friends — and it has always come out unscathed. Now, onto the sound quality... Utilizing the brand's "JumboBass technology," the UBoom L delivers powerful bass thanks to its passive bass radiators on each side working in conjunction with the 55mm drivers. When you play a bass-heavy track, you can see the side radiators vibrate and, like I mentioned up top, you can feel the bass in your soul (depending on how far you are from the speaker, of course). Residents of the rainy British isles will be pleased to hear that the EarFun UBoom L is discounted here too... although not by much. It's down to £69 from its retail price of £79 but even though you aren't saving as much as the Americans, it's still worth the investment. One thing I really like about this speaker as that basslines never feel overpowering. They have an oomph with a lovely warmth to them, so you can really appreciate each note that the bassist is plucking. Even at high volumes, music remains free of distortion, making the UBoom L the ideal speaker for soundtracking social gatherings. Vocals sound just as good, if not better, and there's plenty of detail in every track to be enjoyed and appreciate. I often hook it up to my laptop too when I'm watching a horror or thriller movie, and the speaker creates an eerie soundscape. For a small, portable speaker, I'm always taken aback by how powerful the UBoom L sounds. If you want a rugged speaker that doesn't cut any corners, I'd recommend saving $30 at Amazon U.S. or £10 at Amazon U.K. You can thank me later.
Tom's Guide
13 hours ago
- Tom's Guide
I haven't stopped thinking about the Sennheiser IE 200 buds since I tested them — and they're currently on sale
I'm a self-professed music nerd, and very rarely will you find me not wearing earbuds or over-ear headphones. I love listening to music a lot. I also play the guitar and bass so it's very important to me that I hear every instrument in a track. While wireless earbuds have become the norm today, there are some wired earbuds — or in-ear monitors, to be precise — that give the best of the best a run for their money. The Sennheiser IE 200 buds are one such pair. I tested them back in March and, honestly, I haven't stopped thinking about them since. What's even better is that the buds are currently 19% off at Amazon U.S., bringing them down to $129 from their retail price of $159. And if you're in the U.K., they're available for £109 instead of £129. A win! The Sennheiser IE 200 buds are ideal for audiophiles and music technicians as they feature a wide soundstage and fantastic instrument separation. The bass sounds powerful while vocals sound crystal clear. The earbuds are very lightweight and comfortable too. So what makes the IE 200 a downright fantastic, powerful, must-have pair of earbuds that help you appreciate music in a whole new way? First of all, they feature a braided cable which gives them a premium edge, and the wires are detachable too so you don't have to worry about not being able to use the IE 200s if the stock cable breaks. They are mighty comfortable and lightweight too, and their cables wrap around your ears to ensure they don't fall off. But what good is a pair of earbuds if it doesn't make music sound as God intended? The IE 200s also have a frequency range of 6Hz-20KHz, so they can reproduce most sounds accurately, and boy do they make music sound absolutely incredible! Sound technicians will also appreciate Sennheiser's patented True Response technology which helps reproduce sound with precision so you can appreciate every single instrument in a song. Fret not, my British comrades! The Sennheiser IE 200 earbuds are discounted in the U.K. too, currently available for £20 off at Amazon U.K. The IE 200s' bass response is outstanding as you can hear every single note plucked in the likes of 'Money' by Pink Floyd and 'Every Other Freckle' by Alt-J. Instrument separation really shines in tracks such as these, as you can make out each guitar riff and bassline. They work in harmony together but also really shine — perfectly balanced, as all things should be. Vocals and details are super clear and distinguishable, especially when there are multiple voices harmonizing, like in 'Labour — The Cacophony' by Paris Paloma or 'Ballad of the Witches' Road' from Agatha All Along. High notes never sound piercing either, and it really feels like the artists are in the room (as Sennheiser intended). Even if you use wireless earbuds on, say, your commute or when you're out and about, I still think you need to own a pair of the IE 200s, especially if you want to enjoy music to the fullest. They've made me appreciate music in ways I didn't think were possible. And now, you can save big by taking advantage of the 19% discount at Amazon U.S. or the 16% discount at Amazon U.K. Trust me, these deals are too good to pass up on.
Tom's Guide
6 days ago
- Health
- Tom's Guide
Bob and Brad M7 Plus Mini massage gun review: Super-powered, mini-sized
Although I love my job, I have to admit that sitting at a laptop for eight hours a day takes a toll on my neck. My post-work yoga classes help a little, but my upper back is usually suffering by the end of the week. Some of the best massage guns have unique features like heat and ice tools, and the Bob and Brad M7 Plus Mini is one of them. It comes with five attachments, one of which is a heat tool capable of reaching 107°F (42°C). The M7 Plus Mini is a pretty powerful device, with a maximum amplitude of 9mm and a top RPM of 3,000. I tested this massage gun for three weeks on myself and my boyfriend, who is an avid runner and weightlifter. While the M7 Plus Mini proved a little too powerful on some occasions, it could be the perfect tool for those with super tight muscles. Find out the full story in this Bob and Brad M7 Plus Mini massage gun review. Price $89 / £69 Dimensions 5.3 x 3.35 x 1.9 inches Weight 14 ounces Speed 2,000 RPM - 3,000 RPM Amplitude 9mm Battery USB-C rechargeable, 1 hour on max speed Colors Black Attachments Heat/blue light head, Ball head, U-shaped head, Air Cushion head, Bullet head The Bob and Brad M7 Plus Mini massage gun is $89 from Amazon U.S. and £69 from Amazon U.K. This $89/£69 price places it at the cheaper end of Bob and Brad's line. At the other end of the spectrum is the $299 Bob and Brad D6 Pro Plus, which has a 16mm amplitude compared to the M7 Plus Mini's 9mm. Alternatively, the cheapest massage gun from Bob and Brad is the $69 Q2 Max, which has a metal head and 7mm amplitude. Seeing as the M7 Plus Mini is often on sale for around $59, I think if you can snag this product for that price, then it's a fantastic deal. The M7 Plus Mini is powerful and versatile; I especially made use of the heated head on my stiff neck. Well, it almost goes without saying that the M7 Plus Mini is going to be lightweight — the clue is quite literally in the name. Even so, this massage gun is markedly lighter than alternatives. The $299 D6 Pro Plus is a pretty hefty 44 ounces and the $69 Q2 Max is 15 ounces, which makes the M7 Plus Mini light, considering alternatives. The Hyperice Hypervolt Go 2 ($149) is 24 ounces, although it has much better battery life of 180 minutes compared to the M7 Mini Plus's 60 minutes, so I guess that's the tradeoff. Thanks to its low weight of 14 ounces, the M7 Plus Mini is easy to handle and maneuver. I was able to massage my shoulders without needing to twist around uncomfortably. When I was using the massage gun on my boyfriend's back, I was able to hold it up for long periods without tiring. You turn the massage gun on with a small sunken button on the main cylinder of the gun itself. The button needs to be held down for two seconds to be turned on and off, which I found quite annoying. I'd rather it be turned on by a double press or a single press, and then turned off with a double press. Unlike the super-cheap unbranded massage gun I'd been using before, cycling through the speed settings is circular, so it doesn't turn off when you reach the highest speed. This means it's easy to flit between settings depending on muscle soreness. I'll discuss the functionality of all the heads in the 'Performance' section below, but here's a quick run down: Heat/blue light head, Ball head, U-shaped head, Air Cushion head, Bullet head. I mostly used the ball head for my shoulders and the heat head for the really sore muscles. As the M7 Plus Mini's slowest speed is 2,000 RPM, it's still pretty intense even at its weakest. I found the M7 Plus Mini to be most comfortable when it was running out of battery. Maybe I just have really sensitive muscles. The M7 Plus Mini goes up to 3,000 RPM, which is intense. This was too much for both my boyfriend and me, but could be good for runners or larger muscles, like the quads or biceps. I found the air cushion head to be more tolerable at higher speeds, as it's kind of like a bellow/ball combination. There wasn't too much pressure on the surface as it's made of a bouncy material. Quite conveniently for me (but not for him), my boyfriend pulled a muscle in his shoulder about halfway through my testing period. This meant I could actually put the massage gun to work on tender muscles. For this, I started with the heat head to warm up the area. Note: You have to charge the heat head separately from the massage gun itself. It has a USB-C port for charging. After warming up the area with the heat head, I used the ball head over the sore area. I considered using the bullet head, but I thought it would be too painful, as it's a concentrated surface area and therefore more intense. This continued for about five days, and then I started using the bullet head on the sore area. My boyfriend reported that this was too intense on the muscle, even on the weakest setting and resorted to his old faithful: a tennis ball and a wall (where you put the ball against the sore muscle and stand against a wall, therefore releasing the tension). The lowest power is 2,000 RPM, which is 250 RPM faster than the Theragun Mini's weakest speed of 1,750 RPM. While it's a good thing that the M7 Plus Mini is powerful, I think it should have a wider range. Having a max RPM of 3,000 is fantastic for people who want to be pummelled by a massage gun, but I think it's worth having a very weak setting for those a little more sore or frail than others. The $399 Hyperice Hypervolt 2 Pro has a lowest speed of 1,700 and a max amplitude of 14mm, so this could be a better option for those requiring a softer speed for sore muscles. However, it's incredibly expensive at over $300 pricier than the M7 Plus Mini. While this isn't relevant to performance in a fitness way, I'm just going to briefly mention the heat head/blue light head. Bob and Brad claim that the blue light attachment can be used for 'skin whitening.' Ethics aside, the M7 Plus Mini is a fitness-oriented product designed by physiotherapists, not a skincare-focused product designed by dermatologists. As a result, I'd be wary of using the blue light attachment for skincare. Whether the M7 Plus Mini is for you depends on, well, you. For me, I found the lowest speed to be a little too powerful on my traps and rhomboid major (the two places I suffer from aches due to hunching over my laptop for 40 hours a week). However, when my boyfriend was uninjured, he found the weakest speed fine for ironing out muscle pain after weightlifting and running. My favorite attachment was the heat head, and I found myself using this more than any other head. I think this is a very well-priced massage gun for its power, but if you're particularly susceptible to painful muscles, I think a product with a larger speed range would be better. For that purpose, I'd recommend the Bob and Brad Q2 Max or the Theragun Mini. For most people, though, the M7 Plus Mini is a perfect first massage gun.
Tom's Guide
23-05-2025
- Tom's Guide
I just found my perfect summer Bluetooth speaker — ground-shaking bass and it only costs $129
The Tribit StormBox Lava speaker has blown me away. This speaker amplifies bass like no other I've tried and is an absolute steal compared to some of the best bluetooth speakers. While the speaker has the ground around me shaking (especially on the XBass preset), the crisp treble and punchy mids it produces are also awesome. Meanwhile the Companion app also allows you to customize the sound, and even rack the bass up higher. The sleek design and portable nature of the speaker means it is easy to take anywhere, and its IP67 rating means it's well protected for any scenario — from a sandy beach to the side of the pool. Admittedly, the battery is lower than previous speaker models by Tribit and if you want to use the True Wireless Stereo function you will need to purchase another speaker, but don't let that put you off because the volume that this speaker produces means you won't need the stereo function. To find out more about how I got on, you can read my full Tribit StormBox Lava review. Price $129 / £129 Dimensions 12.20 x 5.98 x 5.78 inches Weight 5.07lbs Water resistance IP67 Connectivity Bluetooth 5.4 The Tribit StormBox Lava is priced at $126 and is available for purchase from Amazon U.S., and from Amazon U.K for £126. For a similar price you could pick up the JBL Flip 6 ($129), which has the same waterproofing rating, but is much smaller and has half the quoted battery life. The speaker only comes in black, which I think makes it look pretty sleek. But if you are in the market for something that gives you a choice of colors, you could check out our favorite Bluetooth speaker for bass performance, the JBL Extreme 4 ($379), or the Sonos Move 2 ($449). But there is no doubt that the TRIBIT StormBox Lava is the most affordable of these options, while still offering plenty of bass, so sacrificing color may not be all that bad. The Tribit StormBox Lava is a very good-looking speaker. It may not have any flashing lights on it like the Tribit StormBox Blast 2 ($279), but its looks mean it will look good in any situation with a practical design. The Lava isn't too heavy, weighing only 5.07lbs, and is easy to carry around. Included with the speaker is a detachable shoulder strap that can be adjusted to make carrying it even more comfortable. I, however, opted to use the detachable woven handle (also included) during testing. I found this a more manageable option as the shoulder strap meant the speaker was swinging against my side. While it's objectively large, especially compared to the JBL Extreme 4, the StormBox Lava is pretty compact given the sound it produces. Measuring 12.20 x 5.98 x 5.78 inches, I got whole-house-filling sound with comparatively little bulk. As well as being easily transportable, it's built to be used anywhere, with a waterproof rating of IP67. This rating means the speaker is waterproof when submerged in 1 meter of water for 30 minutes, making it perfect for pool parties or rainy conditions. IP67 also means the speaker is completely dust tight, so you can take it to the beach and not worry about sand running the mechanics. However, it's only fully sealed when the rubber cover protecting the USB ports on the back of the speaker is closed. The Tribit StormBox is extremely simple to control, but there are quite a few options for how you can control it. There are controls on the top of the speaker which include the power button, volume controls, play/pause, Bluetooth pairing, XBass and True Wireless Stereo (TWS) pairing (more on that later). Frustratingly, the play/pause button needs to be double-tapped to skip a song, or triple-tapped to skip back. It wouldn't have hurt the styling to add two extra dedicated buttons for playback controls, and would've made the user experience a whole lot easier. When I wanted to skip songs, I simply used my phone, which proved easier. I also downloaded the Tribit companion app. You can control the volume from the app, but more interestingly, there are EQ presets and a 10-band custom EQ options. The XBass EQ preset is the signature of this speaker, though, hence why it has its own dedicated button on top of the unit. I'll discuss the EQ in more detail in the audio performance section. The Tribit Stormbox Lava can pair with another Lava unit in TWS mode, which is for dual speaker surround stereo playback. This is activated via the button on top of the speaker and then the two speakers will play music in unison — an awesome feature but then you'd be dropping $260. The speaker uses Bluetooth 5.4 which gives a more stable connection for Bluetooth speakers than previous versions. It also decreases any lag experienced with the speaker and has a 40ft Bluetooth range. The first thing I look for whenever I test out new audio equipment is how the bass performs, so I was excited to try out the XBass function on this speaker. XBass is an EQ preset, but there is a dedicated button on top of the device that lets you turn it on and off without needing the app. The Tribit StormBox delivers on all fronts, but excels with its bass performance. The low frequencies are very powerful — it had the floor literally shaking. The 30W neodymium magnetic woofers drive the bass with ease, and it's very impressive. I listened to Tonight (I Wish I Was Your Boy) by The 1975 which has some delicate high vocals but a driving bass throughout the song. It sounded absolutely epic and the bass in the song became so strong that it shook the table the speaker was on. I would argue this song is best listened to on speakers like this rather than earbuds so you get the full immersive experience, and the Tribit made me put the song on repeat. To test the range of the speaker, I listened to Gethsemane by Sleep Token. The song is truly varied, starting off gently, before lifting into driving hip-hop and then reaching a metal apex — it showed me the speaker can handle anything you throw at it with ease. The Tribit captured the delicate vocals with minimal tinniness, and kept them at the forefront even when the heavy mids and bass from guitar and drums began. Finally I listened to Simple As This by Jake Bugg, a mellow folk song. And yes, the speaker can even make a folk song's bass boom. Even without the XBass, the speaker still delivered awesome sound, it just didn't shake the floor. I tested out the 10-band Custom EQ on this song, lifting the low frequencies to enhance the kickdrum and raising the mids to compensate for the prominent vocals. This sounded great, although I lost some treble, particularly the track's violins. When I increased the high frequencies to bring them back, I experienced some tinniness, but overall the Lava put in a stellar performance. Tribit says that the StormBox Lava takes around 5 hours to fully charge and that it has a battery life of 24 hours. This is pretty impressive, although less than the StormBox Blast 2 which has a max battery life of 20 hours. The Lava's battery life specs rely on XBass being turned off and volume only being turned up halfway. I preferred to use the speaker with XBass turned on as this gave such a fuller sound to the music, but it did drain the battery faster. After 3 hours of listening at half volume with XBass, the charge had decreased by 20%, so I would expect to get something more like 14 hours with XBass on. If you listen with the volume higher though this will decrease further. The EarFun UBOOM X speaker ($189) has a rated battery life of 30 hours when not using any of the built in lights at low volumes, but this dramatically decreases to around 20 hours with use of all the features. So it isn't uncommon for speakers to underperform, just inconvenient. To conserve battery on the Tribit StormBox Lava as much as possible, you can enable auto shut down through the app which will turn off the speaker if nothing is played for a while. I found this feature great as I often pause my music and get distracted, so it meant I wasn't wasting battery unnecessarily. The speaker has ports under the rubber cover at the back that allow it to act as a portable charger. This is super useful for beach days where you're nowhere near power but still need your phone. I am seriously blown away by the StormBox Lava. It's cheaper than previous Tribit models like the StormBox Blast 2, but still packs one hell of a punch. The speaker looks sleek and is easily portable with the carry handle and strap, so you can take it with you on hikes or vacations. The waterproof protection makes it an incredible all-rounder, from beach days to getting caught out in the rain (piña colada not included). The XBass function is incredible, making the ground literally shake, even at half volume. At high volumes though, sound quality isn't compromised across the frequency range and there is hardly any tinniness — I only experienced this when I manually increased the high frequencies. With the Tribit StormBox Lava's booming bass and insane volume capability, I've just found my perfect speaker right in time for summer.
